Media Releases

October 2003

31 October

Waitakere Man jailed for five months for repeated illegal bush clearance and earthworks

In a New Zealand first, a Waitakere City man has been sent to jail for clearing protected native bush and undertaking earthworks, without resource consent and while subject to a court order to stop the work.

Andrew and Susan Borrett of 49 Sunnyvale Road, Red Hills, were found guilty by a jury for the second time since 1999, of charges related to clearing, large areas of native bush which had the highest level of protection possible under the Waitakere City District Plan – and for unauthorised earthworks. They were also found guilty of charges related to breaches of Environment Court Enforcement orders. 

Mr Borrett was charged with undertaking the offences and Mrs Borrett with permitting the offences.

Environment Court Judge Fred McElrea this week jailed Andrew Borrett for 20 weeks, saying Mr Borrett needed to “experience the inside of prison to understand the full reality of his offending.” 

The Judge also declined Mr Borrett the opportunity for home detention, partly on the basis that his home property was where the offending had taken pace.

It is believed to be the first time anyone has been jailed for this type of offence in New Zealand. 

Mr Borrett had chosen trial by jury - and was found guilty on five out of seven charges. His wife Susan was found guilty on four out of seven charges. 

Judge McElrea imposed fines and costs on the couple amounting to $17,500.

In 1999, the Borretts pleaded guilty to similar charges involving large scale bush clearance and earth works. On that occasion fines and costs totalling $18,000 were imposed on them.

On the most recent occasion the work included the widening of a road through an area of significant native vegetation about 150 metres in length.

On both occasions the Borretts had been subject to an interim enforcement order, imposed by the Environment Court, to prevent further illegal bush clearance and earthworks.

Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of Waitakere City Council’s Environmental Management Committee said that she hoped the sentences would have a salutary effect on people thinking of breaching the Resource Management Act.

“The Environment Court has been sending increasingly strong signals that it intends to deter this sort of environmental vandalism and frankly, while it shouldn’t be necessary to send people to jail, Mr Borrett has only himself to blame.

“I sincerely hope he will be the first and last person to be jailed because other people realise it’s just not worth the risk to wilfully and illegally damage the environment,” she says.

29 October

Waitakere gets top ratings

Melbourne based Standard & Poor’s, an international credit agency, has today given Waitakere City Council one of its highest ratings.

The agency has assigned the Council it’s A-1+ rating, its highest possible short-term debt grading.

The Council’s long-term debt rating is AA-, the fourth highest longer term grading possible.

“Council is projecting a rapid increase in its debt burden in the next few years, due to its heavy capital expenditure programme,” says Standard & Poor’s credit analyst, Brendan Flynn. “However, this program is affordable and has been factored into the AA- rating”.

The construction of a new transport centre and library in Henderson, as well as other infrastructure needed because of strong population growth is contributing to the planned capital expenditure programme. 

The internationally recognised ratings give the Council access to a wider number of investors, a stronger negotiating position, stronger marketing profile and more competitive interest rates, potentially saving ratepayers thousands of dollars a year.

Janet Clews, chairperson of the Council’s Finance and Operational Performance Committee says the approvals send a strong message about the City’s financial position.

“They have looked at our books and told us that we are in very good shape. And just as importantly, they looked at the direction we are taking the City and its long-term economic prospects and expressed confidence in that.”

Mr Flynn makes special mention of the City’s long-term direction.

“Standard & Poor’s takes comfort from the community consultation process undertaken by council in developing its long-term plan,” he says.

Councillor Clews adds: “Consulting with and listening to our community is a commitment we pride ourselves on and we are particularly delighted that this aspect of our City planning has been recognised.”

Only a handful of New Zealand towns or cities hold a credit rating from the likes of Standard & Poor’s. Waitakere’s ratings put it on a par with the likes of Dunedin.

About Standard & Poor’s

Standard & Poor's is the world's foremost provider of independent credit ratings, indices, risk evaluation, investment research, data and valuations. With 5000 employees located in 20 countries, Standard & Poor's is an essential part of the world's financial infrastructure and provides investors with the independent benchmarks they need to feel more confident about their investment and financial decisions. In Australia, the company has been voted INSTO “Rating Agency of the Year” for the third year running. 

23 October

Weathertight Homes Decision

Waitakere City Council is appealing a decision by the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service. 

The owners of a six-year-old Glendene home were awarded $40,000 in damages in the first ruling made by the new body.

The damages award has been made jointly against the Council and the developers, with liability apportioned 80% to the developer (around $32,000) and 20% to the Council.

The Council’s decision to appeal arises out of a general concern as to the effect on local authorities, and indirectly their ratepayers who may ultimately have to foot the bill for such claims, of the nature of the duty of care imposed upon them by this decision when inspecting dwellings under construction. 

The Council’s solicitors are still developing the precise basis for the appeal so any further comment is inappropriate at this time.

The Council does however say that this latest ruling, the Hunn Report into leaky buildings and the introduction of the Building Bill (2003) all confirm that leaky buildings are the consequence of a “systemic failure” in the building industry, from the Building Industry Authority all the way down to workers on the site. 

“Builders, developers and materials suppliers have all contributed and clearly the Resolution Service has ruled that, in this case at least, the developers should be carrying the bulk of any compensation.”

18 October

Waitakere City stream has a face-lift

Project Twin Streams has started making its presence felt and as a result the Oratia Esplanade in McLaren Park, Waitakere has had a makeover.

Local residents, the Project Twin Streams team and the McLaren Park Community Project worked together on Saturday 18 October to plant 1500 native plants alongside the Oratia Stream.

The planting day was part of a long-term restoration work being carried out under Project Twin Streams. As the plants grow, they’ll help to stabilise the stream bank, suppress weeds and provide shade for stream inhabitants. All these effects will help to improve the quality of stream water and the number of water creatures living there.

The planting day was like a “party in the park” for the community. There was food, face-painting, giveaways and entertainment from local musician Tom Wood and Joseph Masters.

Because the planting day coincided with World Water Monitoring Day, water samples were taken from the Oratia Stream for testing. The water quality will continue to be monitored regularly as the project progresses and the streamside restoration takes effect.

Find out about the next Project Twin Streams event on our What's Happening in Waitakere City page.

If you’d like to know more about Project Twin Streams see www.ecowater.co.nz  or email twinstreams@waitakere.govt.nz

16 October

Good interest in workshops on Waitakere Ranges protection

Waitakere City residents are showing a keen interest in protecting the Waitakere Ranges, with hundreds of people attending community workshops on the issue. So far, six workshops have been held.

The workshops, which began at the end of September and continue until November 13, are enabling residents to have their say on a range of topics relating to the Ranges, including development, human impacts, weeds and pests.

Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of the Council’s Environmental Management Committee, says the meetings have stimulated some healthy debate and ideas.

The workshops discuss the Snapshot of the Ranges report, which provides a detailed ‘stocktake’ of key pressures facing the Ranges and offers some possible ideas on what more could be done to ensure their long-term protection.

The project was sparked by some community group suggestions that the current protection for the Ranges may not be sufficient in the long term, despite a large part of the bush area having been made a regional park, District Plan rules and Council funding to combat pests and weeds.

In response, Waitakere City Council, together with the Auckland Regional Council, iwi (Te Kawerau a Maki) and local MPs David Cunliffe and Lynne Pillay, developed a process to talk these issues through with the community. 

Research was conducted on the state of the Ranges and foothills, looking at what values people place on them and how current management roles are working. Possible responses and actions form the basis of discussion at the public workshops. 

Cr Hulse strongly urges people to attend the remaining workshops, which focus on sharing information and providing an opportunity for feedback.

“It is vital to hear from as many people as possible, as the future of the Ranges needs to be planned together with the wider community,” she says. 

“We want to hear the ideas of landowners who live in the Ranges, the coastal villages and the foothills. We also want to talk to people who simply use and enjoy the Ranges.” 

Residents are invited to attend one of the 10 remaining workshops.

10 October

Huia says no to fluoridation

Huia Village residents have once again voted not to have their water supply fluoridated. This has been communicated to Watercare Services Ltd, which is expected to make a decision on fluoridation in December.

Properties supplied by the Huia Village water treatment plant were recently surveyed by the Huia/Cornwallis Local Water Agenda Group on whether or not they supported their water supply being fluoridated.

More than 130 replies were received from the 243 properties surveyed, with 73% opposing fluoridation.

At the community’s request, the water supply at Huia Village has never been fluoridated since the treatment plant was constructed in 1971.

However, the option of whether or not to fluoridate the local water supply was revisited as water supplier Watercare Services Ltd moves to bring the Huia water treatment plant in line with new water treatment standards, introduced under the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards 2000. 

Watercare needs to upgrade the plant before January 2005 if it is to produce water that meets these standards and maintains an ‘A’ grading with the Ministry of Health.

A report on the Huia Village water supply was brought to the Waitakere Community Board and the Council’s Environmental Management Committee this month. Both supported residents’ requests that fluoride not be added to the Huia water supply, although the Environmental Management Committee also moved that the fluoridation issue be reviewed with the local community in two years.

"The population of Huia is changing with more young families moving to the area, and the committee wanted to give the residents another opportunity to consider the benefits of fluoridation in a less hurried time frame, and with as wide a range of information as possible being made available to them,” says Councillor Denise Yates, Deputy Chairperson of the Environmental Management Committee.

“As a former school dental nurse, I am very aware of the beneficial difference fluoride can make to the teeth of children and adults alike, and of the huge bulk of evidence that there are few, if any, significant side effects of drinking fluoridated water. 

“It is for these reasons that the Committee passed a resolution to allow the Huia people to review the situation in two years time.”

8 October

Get On-Line With Mayor Bob Harvey

People can have an email chat with one of the country’s most charismatic and dynamic mayors on Thursday, October 16.

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey has set aside two hours (9.30 - 11.30 am) to hear from, and respond to, people on whatever topics they choose.

Mayor Harvey has, on average, 50 one-on-one meetings with constituents each week. Now he is using the internet to make himself even more accessible.

“The internet has changed the way we go about our lives- from shopping to business,” he says. “And while nothing beats sitting down with someone face to face, it is another vehicle to allow people to express their views- and get an instant response.”

“People can already e-mail me at any time through the City web-site,” he says. “But simply because of workloads it can sometimes take me a couple of days to respond. So I’ve set a date and time to do as many of them as I can, “live”, as soon as they come in.”

While Mayor Harvey wants people to discuss anything they wish, he is particularly interested in hearing views on the future of Whenuapai Airbase (which is due to be closed in 2007), and on the lifting of the government moratorium on genetic modification.

If the exercise is a success, Mayor Harvey hopes to hold his on line constituent clinic regularly. 

3 October

Waitakere City focuses on economic development

Waitakere City took another step towards a robust future economy with the Council’s adoption of a draft Economic Development Strategy.

The strategy is designed to promote expansion of the economy with new businesses and growing businesses bringing wealth and employment to the City. The focus is on “clean green” and high technology and knowledge industries, which bring high value and minimal undesirable impacts.

The downstream effect is to boost the social conditions in the City and promote the well-being of its residents.

"This strategy is vital in that it sets out what Council needs to do to help improve the local economy. If we wish to create more local jobs and improve the quality of local businesses, then we need to be playing an active part,” says City Development Committee deputy chair, Councillor Greg Presland.

"We need to ensure that we build on the City’s natural strengths and successes and identify initiatives to improve Waitakere’s economy in both the short and long term.”

The strategy was developed from the results of consultation and research undertaken by the Council and its business development arm, Enterprise Waitakere, over the last three years, and from the wealth of data used for the Auckland Regional Economic Development Strategy.

Common themes raised during the development of the strategy will be built into the implementation phases. These include both short-term developments that can be progressed immediately at no, or minimal, cost and longer term matters that will be considered through the Council’s next Annual Planning round and incorporated into its Long Term Council Community Plan. More consideration of ‘economic well-being’ is now required of all councils under the Local Government Act 2002. 

Themes identified include:

• A package to attract new business and investment in the City.
• Support for small and medium enterprises as key to economic development.
• Investigate an emergent Clean Technology Cluster as key to strengthening the City’s identity.
• Education and training for a flexible, highly capable workforce.
• Infrastructure to meet business and employment needs.
• Initiatives to support innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Council will also continue to support the City’s specialised business clusters, such as the marine, film and wine industries and the emerging organics industry.

Since September 2000, when the Council first formally decided to work on an economic development strategy, it has taken a number of steps towards developing an appropriate strategy to support the City’s economic goals - including hosting an Economic Summit (April 2001), participating in the regional economic development work (through 2001-2002), undertaking research with business stakeholders and building on the existing partnerships with central government and business and community sectors.

Public consultation will be held during the Annual Plan process in 2004 before the final version returns to the City Development Committee for approval.

3 October 2003

Community Wellbeing funding gives boost to 28 groups

More than $27,500 of Community Wellbeing funding has been allocated to community groups in Waitakere City through their local community board.

Senior citizens clubs, church groups, kindergartens, scout groups, surf lifesaving patrols and homework centres are among the 28 recipients from the City’s Henderson, Massey, New Lynn and Waitakere wards.

The Community Wellbeing Fund aligns with Waitakere City Council’s Community Assistance Policy, which aims to strengthen the ability of community groups to meet the needs of people in their local area.

Presentations of funding for groups with a city-wide focus will take place at a special meeting of the Council’s Finance and Operational Performance Committee on October 23. The Committee will then decide on the funding allocation at its regular meeting on November 10, with a total of $40,000 available for distribution.

Community Wellbeing Fund allocations by Ward

Henderson Ward

Waitakere Ward

Massey Ward

New Lynn Ward

1 October

New vehicle emissions policy announced in Waitakere

A new government policy to tackle growing air pollution from vehicle emissions was introduced by the Associate Transport Minister and Minister for Auckland Issues, the Hon. Judith Tizard, at the Waitakere City Vehicle Testing Station today.

As part of the policy launch, Ms Tizard put her own car to the test with an exhaust emissions screening at the testing station.

Waitakere City Council’s Vehicle Testing Station, in Henderson, was chosen for the announcement because it has been offering free emissions testing for years. The launch was also attended by Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of Waitakere City Council’s Environmental Management Committee; Jeanette Fitzsimons, co-leader of the Greens; and Gwen Bull, chair of the Auckland Regional Council.

Judith Tizard watches her car being emissions tested at the Waitakere City Vehicle Testing Station

The Government, with the support of the Greens, is introducing a range of initiatives under the new policy, including:

• Emissions screening of pre-used imported vehicles at the New Zealand border as part of pre-registration;

• Emissions screening as part of warrant of fitness or certificate of fitness inspections; and

• Education on the need for, and benefits of, regular vehicle maintenance and repair.

It is expected that emissions screening of in-service vehicles will come into force in mid-to-late 2006.

Land Transport rules will now need to be developed to give effect to the new policy. Further consultation will now be undertaken as part of the rule development process. 

“There is an abundance of scientific evidence that air pollution from motor vehicles contributes to serious health problems, including asthma, heart disease and bronchitis,” says Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of the Environmental Management Committee. 

“A vehicle emissions test provides an indication of your engine’s performance, as well as a breakdown of the level of harmful components in the exhaust emission. But a sick engine is not only polluting our environment, it’s costing you money too.”

Judith Tizard agrees, saying: “It is vital that all vehicle owners and operators take responsibility to fix and regularly tune their vehicles and that they have the necessary information to do so. The benefits of regular maintenance include savings in the long-term on fuel and maintenance costs, and knowing that they and their neighbours will breathe easier.

“We are committed to tackling the environmental and health impacts associated with vehicle emissions in New Zealand. The health of New Zealanders and our clean, green and sustainable environment, depend upon it,” Ms Tizard says. 

The Government says its new initiatives build on earlier initiatives introduced to tackle vehicle pollution. They include:

• Changing fuel standards to reduce the sulphur content of diesel and petrol fuels, which are being phased in over the next three years and will help reduce vehicle emissions 

• Introducing a new Land Transport Rule, effective from 1 January 2004, that will ensure that vehicles entering New Zealand have been built to a recognised emissions standard

• Increasing transport funding to tackle severe traffic congestion in key areas including key roading developments, public transport initiatives and walking and cycling promotion

• Undertaking further research on the health impacts of vehicle emissions.

“Reducing air pollution from vehicle emissions is a complex issue, which requires an integrated package of solutions to fix it. The initiatives announced today will form a fundamental component of this package,” Judith Tizard says.